“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”  Isaiah 40:8

I am nothing!  He is everything!  We get so full of ourselves and so self-impressed with our made up, manipulated and self designed pedigrees, but it does not change the reality:  Without Jesus – I am nothing!

Anything good that I am – He has made me and allowed me to become!  I can take no credit.  Some would say:  “But you had to yield!”  I could not even make the choice to yield without His grace, power and goodness!

I love God and I love His Word and I am so thankful that when all else fails and I have nothing that I can count on, that His Word endures and lives powerfully forever!  G3! = Give God Glory!

“All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.”  Proverbs 15:15

Happiness is not a destination but a day-by-day journey.  Life is too short to not laugh.  We need to learn to laugh at ourselves and instead of letting little things mess us up, we need learn what we can and move on.  You can’t have a merry heart, if you are not willing to cultivate a merry heart!  Real happiness begins on the inside, not the outside!

We miss out on the things that really make life special by getting distracted by the frustrations and challenges!  We need to enjoy our conversations with others, instead of rushing through them.  We need to take time to read and learn from what others have to say.  We need to take a walk and enjoy the amazing creation that God has placed all around us!  Work to grow and maintain loving relationships with family and friends – life just does not work without them!

God loves you and He wants you to be happy, at peace and filled with joy and love!  Take some time today to enjoy this life that He has blessed you with and learn to laugh – you’ll be glad you did!

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

I cannot find peace in my circumstances, because they are continually changing.  I cannot find peace in others, because they come and go.  I cannot find peace in this world, because there is too much turmoil.  I cannot find peace in any of the usual places that I look for it, because it is just not there to be found.

I find peace in my relationship with my Creator.  The One Who created me, also created peace and He desires for His creation to dwell and grow together.  I am guaranteed to have trouble in this world, but in the midst of my trouble, I can also have peace.  Peace is not the absence of troubles, but the presence of our Creator.

Just knowing that He is with me, fills me with the knowledge of hope that tells me that everything is going to be alright.  I don’t know what you are going through, but God does and it has not caught Him off guard.  God is not surprised by the troubles that we face.  What I do know, is that God wants to walk with you as you go through whatever it is that you are going through, because it is never His intention that you have to face the hard times of life alone.

If you face the hard times of life alone, it is because you have made the choice, not to acknowledge Him.  God promises to never leave us or forsake us!  So right now, instead of focusing on your troubles, frustrations and challenges – take a moment to focus on your Creator – He loves you, is with you and has an amazing plan for your life!